Hold on Me
by Ares McArdan
Summary: Draco and Hermione are a perfect match; subplot with Ginny and Harry.
1. Exposition

11:00pm  
  
"Draco."  
  
"What now, Pansy? "  
  
"I can't see."  
  
"Stupid girl. Lumos!"  
  
"Thanks, Drakey."  
  
"I told you not to call me that. Just go get it. It's there, on the top shelf."  
  
"Is this it, Drakey? 'Veritaserum'?"  
  
"Yes. Yes indeed it is."  
  
* * *  
  
"Harry, I don't want to explain. I just-- don't feel like it right now, all right?" Ginny Weasley turned quickly away from Harry Potter, drawing her knees up to her chest. He had been lying supported on his left elbow with his right arm across Ginny's abdomen, before she'd pulled away. "What's wrong, Gin? I know there's something bothering you. We haven't had sex for two weeks. What is it?"  
  
"It's nothing, Harry. Really. I just-- can't right now. Later I will, really." She smiled weakly. "It's not you, Harry. I love you." Harry quietly crawled over to her and gently came between her legs. "Then show me that you do, Ginny."  
  
Harry pushed her gently back and brought his face down to kiss her. Ginny melted at this, realizing it was in fact the best way to show him how much she loved him. But still, she hesitated. "I'm sorry, Harry. I haven't wanted to, because I've had something on my mind that would shock Professor Trelawney if she knew. I mean, this is huge."  
  
"Yeah? What are you talking about?" asked Harry, pausing over her, supported on his forearms. Ginny bit her bottom lip and looked away. "It's, uh, well. I mean it, this is serious." Harry gave a snort of disgust. "Ginny, we tell each other everything. Whatever it is, I promise I won't tell anyone."  
  
"Harry, it's not like that. It's just between us." Harry cocked his head to the side in confusion. "What are you talking about, Gin?" he murmured. They sat up, and Ginny started to bite her right thumbnail, her nervous reaction. Harry gently pulled her hand away from her mouth.  
  
"Harry, I think I might be pr--"  
  
All of a sudden, Ron Weasley threw open the drapes on Harry's bed and shouted, "Time to wake it up, sunshine." He froze with wide eyes when he saw Ginny with Harry. His expression narrowed. "You had better not be doing what I think you are doing," he warned.  
  
"Uh, don't freak out, Ron. We were just talking," Ginny managed weakly. "'Eah, we were just talking about, uh -- you!" Harry insisted with a smile. "That had better be all, or I swear to Merlin I'll give you a brand new scar, Harry." Harry felt somewhat sick in the pit of his stomach, still trying to process what he knew Ginny had started to say. She was pregnant, and if Ron knew that, he probably would make good on his threat. "Come on, you two, we've got to go, or we'll be late for the quidditch match. I've got five galleons on Ravenclaw. You could get in on it as well, Harry, unless you've become pro-Slytherin." Harry playfully punched his redheaded friend and helped Ginny to her feet. "No fucking way, " Harry declared. "They're going to be shown a detailed view of the landscaping today."  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm sure you could tell us, Miss Granger, why Longbottom has just turned into a cantaloupe."  
  
Hermione Granger fought to suppress a vicious sigh of contempt for her hated potions teacher, Professor Snape. It seemed to her that constant torment of she and her friends was his only happiness in life. Bloody hell, if there was anybody who needed to get laid, she thought bitterly.  
  
"Professor, I believe it is because he over measured his roots. The formula calls for five of medium length," she finally conceded. Snape paced wordlessly back to the front of the classroom. "Sufficient, but I suppose the answer I was looking for," he deadpanned as he waved his wand turning Neville back into Neville, "was that it had something to do with him being a staggeringly incompetent lint-for-brains."  
  
A few of the Slytherins laughed, and Hermione made a sour face. She was tired of having potions with the Slytherins. It seemed like every year, for the past six years they had been put together, probably for the amusement of Snape, she thought. Now that they were in their seventh and final year, she felt she was going to be sick if she heard just one more "mudblood" insult from that great bastard of a snake, Draco Malfoy. What was his problem, anyway? Why, now that they were both eighteen years old, couldn't he just grow up? She assumed he still got a sick thrill out of taunting her because he was notoriously a Death Eater-in-training. Well, good, she thought. Then Voldemort can ride his ass like a quarter horse if he likes.  
  
That thought made her laugh out loud as she was leaving the class, following Ron and Harry who were engaged in an impassioned quidditch conversation. "Hey, Mudblood," came a slimy voice behind her. "What's funny? Did you pass by a mirror or something?"  
  
Hermione could have killed the little leech at that second, but she decided to play his game. "No, Draco -- just thinking of you." Hermione smiled a huge, fake smile, then rolled her eyes. "Well, before you start laughing at me, Granger, I suggest you go retrieve your fruity boyfriend in there." Draco's silver eyes lit up and he smiled an evil, crooked smile, as he pointed back toward the potions classroom. "Oh, get off it, Malfoy. He's not my boyfriend, and he can handle his own detention. See, he's a big boy, unlike you," she snapped sarcastically. As she stalked off, Draco called after her, "Poor Neville! Left all alone without you! Too bad you two 'can't elope'!" He and his goons, Crabbe and Goyle laughed themselves into hysterics at his joke.  
  
That arrogant prick, thought Hermione. What a loser. He was such a child, all the time. Mean as all hell, and well known for being a lecherous playboy, Draco Malfoy was not used to hearing the word 'no'. But Hermione refused to kiss his ass. He was impatient, disrespectful, arrogant, mean, cold, immature, ruthless, annoying, spiteful, sleazy... and easily the sexiest, most intriguingly alluring male she had ever known or could have imagined.  
  
She was drawn to his mysterious confidence and calm. Hermione became transfixed when he would raise one eyebrow, and smile that evil, lopsided smile. She'd seen him brush his silvery blonde hair out of his eyes, only to have it fall back again. She'd wished she could sneak up behind him and kiss the underside of his bottom jaw, and down his neck, to take that silver chain he always wore in her mouth, to..  
  
Wait a minute, this was Malfoy. Draco "Look at me, I'm such a hot shot" Malfoy. But Hermione would give up the Order of Merlin for one night with him..  
  
It had been a long time since her fourth year, when she was still a pure, perfect angel with an academic record a mile long. She was Ron and Harry's buddy then. Now they had become different people, no longer interested in playing the same games that passed back then. Hermione had changed enormously. She was no longer the mousy, nerdy kid she had once been. She still made excellent grades, but she had more of the calm self confidence and cool she'd inherited from her mother. She began fixing herself up differently, and developed a sarcastic wit to rival Malfoy's.  
  
She became the kind of girl that did not care what everybody thought, and she stood up to people who dared to cut her down. No longer sweet and innocent, she'd already had relationships that went far beyond kissing, although she hadn't had sex since she'd lost her virginity to Ron last year. That had been temporary insanity. They had been having mixed feelings for each other for years, and they finally couldn't control themselves and spent the night of the Yule Ball together, down by the lake with the aid of Harry's invisibility cloak.  
  
That first time was not as bad as she thought it was going to be, having heard painful descriptions from Lavender and Ginny. Ron was fairly gentle, and they were so lost in their hormones, she barely noticed the awkwardness of the situation. Afterwards, they decided they would go back to being friends, and it turned out well for both of them. Maybe she could have just one such instance of temporary insanity with Draco as well.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione was sitting with Ginny watching Ron, Harry, and some other Gryffindors practice for that weekend's quidditch match. They were well aware that winter was rapidly approaching, and were wrapped up under their robes as well as they could be.  
  
"All right, Ron!" encouraged Hermione, as Ron flew by with the quaffle towards a waiting keeper. "I'm glad Ron joined the team. He makes a great chaser." Ginny didn't respond, but rather looked off in the distance as if she was suddenly fascinated by the forest.  
  
"Huh? What was that, Mione?" she absently wondered. Hermione noticed her strange distraction, and said, "Nothing. I, erm, are you and Harry alright? You seem like there might be something bothering you, and that would be my first guess." Ginny looked at her feet and forced a smile. "No. It's just so hectic, you know, with winter holidays coming up and everything. I'm a little stressed out is all."  
  
Hermione didn't buy it, but she didn't let on. "Oh, yeah, I know what you mean. But if there ever is anything, you know, bothering you, you can always come and talk to me." Ginny narrowed her eyebrows as if in concentration, then looked up at her friend and smiled. "Yeah," she agreed pleasantly. "Hey, you know, Ron's doing really well out there. I'm glad he joined the team. He's a great chaser."  
  
Hermione smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, he is, Gin." Something was up. And it probably had to do with Harry. But what? 


	2. Foundation

chapter 2  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Pansy, don't you dare even think about backing out now. When we put the Veritaserum in the pumpkin juice at the Yule Ball, It will turn into one hell of a party!" Draco Malfoy was pacing around his room, getting dressed for dinner at the Great Hall. Pansy Parkinson, his confidante and partner in crime, was sitting lazily in his chair, with one leg tucked under her, her left arm stretched out over the arm of the chair, eating an apple.  
  
"Drake-- oh, I mean, Draco," she drawled with special emphasis. "I'm not backing out. I just don't understand how we can get away with it. I mean, Dumbledore will know it was us when we're the only ones running round not under the spell."  
  
Draco tucked his white tailored dress shirt into his black trousers and buckled his leather belt. "Pansy, even if that happens, we just say we happened not to drink any. And besides," he added with a smirk as he pushed back his hair, "If worse comes to worse, there's no way we will be expelled because I know people in some high places."  
  
"Oh God, Draco, you're not going to get your dad involved, are you?" whined Pansy.  
  
"Relax," he retorted. "We haven't been caught yet. The ball is still three days away. Come on, pull on your shirt, and let's go."  
  
Pansy threw the remains of her apple at Draco's turned back, but he whirled around just in time and caught it. "Awww, now Pansy, we can't have that. Are you going to get dressed and come with me, or shall I put you in your place again?" he mused, with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Pansy looked up at him with wide eyes. She got slowly to her feet, walked over to him, and he backed up to his dresser. He looked a little nervous, not sure what she was going to do. Pansy leaned close to him, pressing the length of her body against his, and brought her right arm around his middle.  
  
She grabbed her shirt from the top of the dresser, smirking confidently to her reflection in the mirror, and stepped back from Draco. "Jerk off," she instructed matter-of-factly. Pansy pulled on her shirt and left the room.  
  
"Bitch," Draco breathed, surprised that someone had beaten him at his own game.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny Weasley was having one of the worst days of her life. She'd lost ten points from Gryffindor for being late to Muggle Studies, as a result of having to stay after potions class to receive a detention from Professor Snape, just after tripping over that stupid bastard Malfoy's broomstick on the way to Care of Magical Creatures, only to realize, upon arriving late, that she was supposed to be in Potions instead. AND, arriving fifteen minutes late to class, she tried to open the door quietly, but it stuck, and when she finally opened it, she burst into the classroom and went flying, landing right in front of Snape's desk. Hence, the detention.  
  
In addition to that, she was having problems with Harry. Just yesterday, he had tried to 'seduce her' of sorts, and she'd refused him for the eighth time in the last two weeks. She had started to tell him what had been bothering her for so long, but they were interrupted by Ron, of all people. She knew Harry had taken it personally that she hadn't just told him.  
  
But if she did tell him, even now, who knows how he would react? She was scared to think about it herself. This could change everything for her, for Harry. for everybody. She only hoped it was a mistake. Only time would tell.  
  
"Ginny."  
  
Ginny had been sitting at a table in Potions class for the last twenty minutes, inventorying potion ingredients as part of her punishment from Snape. She turned around when she heard a familiar voice hiss her name.  
  
Seeing as no one was there, she assumed the identity of the addresser. "Harry?" she hissed back.  
  
"Yeah. I've got to talk to you for a second." Ginny got up from the table, looked to see that Snape was still in his office, and scurried over to where she guessed Harry was. He removed some of the invisibility cloak and Ginny could see his face floating in front of her.  
  
"Gin, I'm sorry I've been weird around you. It's just that I've been really stressed lately, and Ron's still cheesed about that time he found us in my bedroom."  
  
Harry wanted to add that he knew what she was going to say, and that Ron would be more than "cheesed" if he knew about that. But he figured that she should tell him when she was ready, although he didn't have a clue what he would do about it. It was his fault, he reasoned, that she was pregnant anyway.  
  
"It's okay, Harry. I haven't been exactly straightforward with you. It's just there's been something that's been bothering me lately. I--" She was cut off by a noise from Snape's office. She knew he was coming, and pushed Harry toward the door. He turned to look, and then ran, at Ginny's encouragement.  
  
Ginny ran back to her seat. "Miss Weasley, this is pitiful. I'd expect more from half an hour of work," Snape announced. He put down her parchment and stalked off toward his office again.  
  
At least he didn't take any points away, she thought bitterly, now thoroughly furious.  
  
Snape stopped in the doorway and looked back. "Five points from Gryffindor for your inefficiency."  
  
* * * 


End file.
